REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Project Title: Barbados Climate Leadership School (BCLS) Establishment Project
Assignment: Coordinator, Climate School Development Project
Executing Agency: Ministry of Education Transformation, Government of Barbados
Issue Date: October 16, 2026
Submission Deadline: October 30, 2026

1. Introduction and Background
The Ministry of Education Transformation is advancing the establishment of the Barbados Climate Leadership School (BCLS) as a flagship initiative under the national Education Transformation Programme. Conceived as a specialist upper-secondary institution (Grades 10–13), BCLS is scheduled to open in September 2027, targeting an inaugural cohort of approximately 150 students and scaling to a Phase 1 capacity of 350 students.


Construction at Chelston Park is actively progressing. To ensure a seamless bridge from physical infrastructure completion through outfitting, commissioning, institutional establishment, and operational readiness to the official school launch, the Ministry invites proposals from qualified and experienced professionals to serve as the Coordinator, Climate School Development Project.

2. Objective of the Assignment
The objective of this assignment is to provide senior-level project management and coordination expertise to lead all Ministry-side activities required to ensure BCLS is successfully completed, outfitted, commissioned, institutionally established, operationally ready, and officially launched in accordance with the approved implementation schedule.

3. Scope of Services
The selected Consultant will be responsible for day-to-day oversight across the core project workstreams, working closely with the Project Manager, contractors, consultants, and Ministry units. Key responsibilities include:

  • Integrated Project Management: Developing, maintaining, and managing a comprehensive Master Project Schedule and critical-path tracker across all workstreams.
 

  • Infrastructure Completion & Handover: Tracking construction progress, defect resolution (snagging), statutory inspections (fire, electrical, health, safety), and final handover.

  • Fixtures, Furniture & Equipment (FF&E) and Outfitting Coordination: Managing room-by-room requirements, procurement, delivery, and installation tracking for furniture, ICT, laboratory gear, and specialist climate-science equipment

  • Institutional Establishment: Collaborating with legal and policy teams to secure proper legal classification, governance frameworks, and administrative recognition for BCLS as a specialist school.

  • Operational Readiness: Directing the formal School Operational Readiness Framework (covering staffing, safety, ICT systems, student services, and policies).

  • Reporting & Risk Management: Maintaining a live risk and issues register, preparing concise monthly status reports, and managing immediate escalation paths for senior management.

4. Key Deliverables
The successful proponent will deliver the following outputs as outlined in the Terms of Reference:

  1. Inception and Integrated Implementation Plan
  2. Master Project Schedule (Critical-path with milestones and dependencies)
  3. Project Risk and Issues Register (Live register)
  4. Infrastructure Completion Tracker
  5. FF&E and Outfitting Plan & Tracker
  6. Institutional Establishment Plan
  7. Operational Readiness Framework and Dashboard
  8. Commissioning and Handover Report
  9. Launch and Opening Plan
  10. Monthly Project Status Reports (Reoccurring)
  11. Final Operational Readiness Report (Readiness recommendation)
  12. Post-Launch Close-Out Report

5. Minimum Qualifications and Requirements
Proposals will be evaluated based on the individual expert put forward. Minimum qualification criteria include:

  • Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Management, Engineering, Construction Management, Education Administration, Public Administration, or a related discipline.
  • Postgraduate degrees and recognized project management certifications such as PMP or PRINCE2 are highly desirable.
  • Professional Experience: Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional experience coordinating complex projects involving multi-stakeholder environments.
  • Domain Expertise: Demonstrated experience in at least two of the following areas: infrastructure/project delivery, institutional establishment, education-sector projects, public-sector programme implementation, procurement and contract coordination; or operational readiness.
  • Contextual Knowledge: Experience working with the Government of Barbados systems and administrative procedures would be a significant asset. Also, coordinating architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, suppliers and public-sector agencies would also be advantageous. In addition, experience in education infrastructure, climate-resilient development or innovative learning environments would be desirable.

6. Proposal Submission Requirements
Interested candidates must submit a proposal containing the following components:

        1. Technical Proposal:

  • Cover Letter: Outlining understanding of the assignment and alignment with the BCLS vision.
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV): Detailing qualification & experience.
  • Methodological Approach: Narrative outlining how the proponent intends to manage the critical objectives of the assignment and itemized work-plan.
  • References: Contact details for at least two professional references familiar with the proponent’s project coordination background.

      2. Financial Proposal:

  • A transparent fee structure milestone-based schedule inclusive of all professional services for a 12-month period.

7. Evaluation and Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated using a quality-and-cost evaluation framework

  • Technical Evaluation (80%):
  1. Qualifications & Experience
  2. General & Specialized Professional Experience
  3. Proposed Methodology & Understanding of the TOR
  • Financial Evaluation (20%):

       ○ Competitiveness and reasonableness of proposed fee structure.

8. Submission Details

Proposals must be submitted electronically to medtjobs@mes.gov.bb no later than October 30th, 2026. Proposals submitted after will not be considered.

NB: Click on the link for Terms of Reference – Coorindator, Climate School  Development Project.pdf for further information.